Days Go By
by Yondaime Namikaze
Summary: Turns out that the angel Raziel was unable to bring Jace back to life. Clary lives out her life, waiting for the day when she can finally join Jace in the afterlife. Story told in three arcs ("The Other Side", "Days Go By", and "Don't Fear the Reaper"). Title is currently temporary and may potentially change. Story rated T for mentions of death and implied depression and grief.


**Well, this story will be my first time writing for The Mortal Instruments fandom. Wanted to wait until I'd read most of the series before writing. Anyway, this story came about from several songs (which will form the "arcs" of this story) and it will deviate from the original story just a bit. **

**Thanks for checking out my first Mortal Instruments story. Here goes…**

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Prologue

The Other Side

Grade Level: 4.8

Time stood still as her eyes registered the horrifying sight that unfolded before her. Unable to blink or turn away and invisibly-bound by the runes etched into her legs and arms, she was forced to endure the sickening sounds of metal blade slicing through flesh. Jace's angel blood poured from the wound as Valentine removed his weapon. The boy who, not even hours prior she had believed to be her brother, slumped to his feet, dead before his face even met the ground. If she could have cried out, she would have, but another strategically-placed rune kept her silent.

Unfazed, Valentine continued his process of summoning the angel Raziel. The girl watched, disheartened. What could she do now? She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She was powerless to stop Valentine as he completed his quest to damn all Shadowhunters. No. She could not let that happen. Jace would never allow it. She had to stop Valentine here. For Jace.

It was slow-going, dragging herself across the sand to the spot where Valentine had drawn out the summoning rune. Her heart dropped suddenly. Surely he would spot her but luckily he was too deeply focused on his task.

Struggling against the runes bounding her wrists, she positioned herself to draw in one little alteration. She just hoped that it would come out good enough to work correctly.

Shortly after finishing her appointed task, a bright light blinded her; the angel Raziel had arrived. This was not the first angel she had ever seen, but this was the first healthy and well angel she had ever laid eyes upon. Ithuriel, whom she along with Jace had found in the cellar of the deserted Wayland manor, had been so close to death that he had lost that heavenly glow long before they had found him.

Lost in her thoughts, she had tuned out the conversation between Valentine and Raziel. However a sound like an overly-loud explosion reeled her back in. Looking to Valentine, she saw him stagger back, a gaping hole where his stomach should have been. His suffering was quick as he fell, back first, to the ground, his eyes glazing over.

Justice served, the angel then rounded on her. Had it worked? Well, she'd find out soon enough. The angel's face softened slightly as he told her that he could grant one of her desires, but forewarned that he was not a genie and to choose wisely. It had worked!

She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out, her vocal chords still stopped by that pesky rune. Raziel must have noticed her trouble because he glided gracefully over to her and gently touched each of the rune locations. Instantly, she felt the relief as the suppression on her voice box seemingly evaporated. It was then she found that she could freely move her arms and legs as well.

Raziel was waiting to hear which desire she wanted him to grant. There were so many that she could choose from, but only one was her obvious choice. Her voice cracked from not being used as she softly said, "Jace" while stealing a short glance at his lifeless body.

"Close your eyes," Raziel instructed to her.

She did as told. It was hard as her mind replayed Jace's death, like a movie in a theater, on the backs of her eyelids.

"Clary." Oh great. Now she could hear his voice too. "Clary!" This time it was more persistent. It even held the edge that she had become so used to. Could he really be alive? "Clary, open your eyes!"

She did and there he was. In her haste, she overlooked one major detail, but as she moved closer to him, she realized it. "Jace, you're glowing."

"I know. Listen, Clary. I don't have much time…"

"Wait, I thought the angel was going to bring you back," she interrupted him.

"Apparently, returning someone completely back from the dead is beyond even the angels' power. Who knew? The best he could do was give me the opportunity to speak with you one final time."

Final. She couldn't believe it…that Jace was really dead and would soon be gone forever. She wanted to cry, but the tears would not come. Would he, the strong-willed and valiant Jace, cry if the roles were reversed and it was he watching as she gave him one final goodbye?

She could tell that he had noticed her sadness because, to cheer her up, he told her, "Good thing I don't have demon blood or I would be eternally damned. At least if I have angel blood, there should still be some hope for a peaceful afterlife," he told her, chuckling slightly in hopes she would not be so sad.

Out of all the things she could've said in reply, she told him, "You're not my brother, Jace."

"I know," he replied. "I wish I could be grateful, but it doesn't matter anymore."

"Jace, don't leave me."

"I wouldn't if I had any choice." For once, his voice lacked any emotion. There was no witty sarcasm or venomous anger. Instead, his voice was hollow and void in a very un-Jace-like way. "Don't worry, though, Clary. We will meet again someday and, next time, it will be for eternity."

Jace's promise was tempting. An eternity with him. Forever. Why wait? Valentine's weapon, the one that had so mercilessly taken Jace's mortal life, lay discarded not all that far away. It would be over so quickly and then she could follow Jace to the afterlife.

Perceptive as always, Jace told her, "Don't even think about following me yet. It's not your time. Trust me, I'll know if you bring upon your own death. If you do that, we'll never be able to be together."

If there was anything that could halt her plans, it was the mere thought of never seeing Jace again. She couldn't let that happen. "Jace…"

The boy in front of her reached out and wiped away a stray tear that had slipped from her eyes. Then he gave her a soft kiss, his lips as soft as a summer breeze.

Involuntarily, the girl's eyes drifted closed. As the kiss continued, Jace, unknown to the girl in front of him, began to faced away, his extra time expired. Feeling the absence of his lips on hers, the girl opened her eyes to see that he was already gone as a warm and almost comforting wind tousled her long red hair. "Jace…Jace!"

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**Just a quick fair warning that this story is still in production, meaning that I'm still writing it and coming up with ideas and plotlines. I just figured I'd share a taste of it and see how it is received. Chapter one is still being written, but I'll try and get it up soon. Thanks for reading!**

**Posted: November 23, 2013**


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